


The Lipstick Incident

by Ressarioth



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Banter, Flirting, M/M, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-06
Updated: 2019-11-06
Packaged: 2021-01-24 11:34:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21337561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ressarioth/pseuds/Ressarioth
Summary: Claude learns about Sylvain's habit of keeping an unused lipstick at hand in a rather unusual fashion.
Relationships: Sylvain Jose Gautier & Claude von Riegan, Sylvain Jose Gautier/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 13
Kudos: 174





	The Lipstick Incident

**Author's Note:**

> I cannot get over the fact that Sylvain carries around an unused lipstick, so I had to do something with it. One day I'll post something that does Claudevain more justice...

Claude would like to know in excruciating detail what goes on in the head of Sylvain Jose Gautier. He isn't too shy to ask — interrogating people with as much subtlety or bluntness as is required is a hobby of his — yet he doesn't think that any amount of prying could reveal the thought process behind an action. And he would desperately like to know what exact line of thinking lead to Sylvain offering him a lipstick.

Things felt a little off when Sylvain showed up late to the wyvern paddock with his hair in disarray and the tail of his shirt hanging out of his pants. Though he tried to suppress the huffs adorning his apology, Claude could surmise he had either been running or doing some heavy lifting not too long ago. The nature of his arrival piqued Claude's interest, the lipstick he pulled out of his pocket sent Claude's brain into overload. No explanation, just a lopsided smile and a "For you." as Sylvain held it out to him. How is he supposed to make sense of that?

"What's that?" As Claude voices the question, he is prepared to receive the most obvious answer. It's clear as day what the object is — he identified it himself at a glance — but he cannot fathom why Sylvain would want to give it to him. He realises that's the question he should have asked instead.

As if to do Claude a rare favour and skip the part where they agree on the nature of the item he's holding, Sylvain replies: "It's a present."

No attempt to fix his messy hair or tug his shirt back into his pants, even though Sylvain has been doing his best to calm his breathing. Claude supposes the look is here to stay and though he thinks it suits Sylvain, it makes him question Sylvain's priorities. The smile on the other hand is almost so impeccable that he cannot tell for sure if Sylvain is genuine or not.

"A lipstick? For me?" Claude has to work through his bafflement before he can feign a chuckle. "I'm flattered—" as if— "but I don't think it's my style."

His diplomacy has seen better days, still he's trying his best not to give cause for offence. It's not like he expects Sylvain to retaliate with force — the fellow student is as much a smooth talker as he is — however old habits die hard. 

"And I don't mean the colour," Claude adds, intent on clarification. " It's just— me?—" he points a finger at his face— "not one to wear lipstick."

Sylvain gives a laugh that doesn't seem fake, instead almost a little shaky as if he's nervous. "Have you ever tried it? Who knows, it might suit you."

Claude raises an eyebrow at the suggestion. Being put on the spot like that should make him want to turn the tables; yet he can appreciate the ability it takes to catch him off guard, even if he would never admit to it. The good humour in is tone doesn't falter. "You're lucky I'm feeling generous enough to not turn your own question against you. Why are you carrying something like that around with you anyway?"

Sylvain's smile fades a tiny bit and Claude catches a glimpse of surprise in his eyes. In the blink of an eye he starts grinning again that Claude could be tempted to question his own senses. All that remains on Sylvain's face is amusement.

"You never know when you meet a lovely lady who would appreciate such a gift. That's why I'm always prepared." Sylvain winks with ease, though his smile is becoming a bit strained. That's enough for Claude to suspect he's faking or exaggerating his carefree demeanour after all, as Claude has caught him doing countless times before.

The observation is forgotten as quickly as Claude made it, because Sylvain's words have him miss a beat. Still, he maintains his confidence and even opts for a serious tone when he responds. "I had no idea you saw me that way."

There's a slight movement of Sylvain's eyebrows as if he's about to knit them together before thinking better of it. The amused glint escaped from his eyes as well and Claude is certain that he's putting on an act. Yet whatever he's trying to pull, it seems to be working.

Even the near certainty that Sylvain is messing with him cannot prevent Claude from looking down at himself to regard his uniform. Sylvain's notion is making him question his own self-perception just a tiny bit and he tries to determine what could have caused the odd mix-up he considers himself to be a subject of. "Though I'm not sure what about my appearance would've given you the impression that I'm one of those lovely ladies you seem to like so much."

Despite his cheerful and easygoing demeanour, it's rare to see Sylvain breaking into hearty laughter. Claude would say it's the first time even for him to witness it. So did he fall for Sylvain's bait or is the situation just that amusing to the other student without any ill intent? Once more he wishes for Sylvain to be an open book to him. Then again, where would be the appeal in that?

"I'm not trying to woo you," Sylvain clarifies once he has recovered enough to talk. "I just figured if there's a girl you like, a present like this could come in handy."

That would clear some things up, though it's almost a little boring compared to the wild theories which crossed the back of Claude's mind. He isn't sure if Sylvain would pass up a guy, but he started to consider the fun they could have if they turned their banter into flirting — or at least the fun he could have testing Sylvain's reaction. Now that he's thinking of it, he is surprised the idea hasn't occurred to him sooner.

"And here I was getting my hopes up." Claude exaggerates his disappointment and mixes in some good humour to make his teasing ambiguous. Let Sylvain have something to wonder about.

"Ha." Sylvain's voice has that faint nervous shake again and he's scratching the side of his head with the hand that isn't still holding the lipstick. Claude would say the comment is getting to him but so far he still manages to recover. "Come on, you think I wouldn't give you a more fitting present if I was trying to get with you?"

"I admit, it would be a clumsy attempt, but I could forgive that. Clumsiness has its own charm." Claude winks to underline the flirtatious nature of his words.

Sylvain opens his mouth, fails to respond, closes it again, and looks away. That counts as flustered, Claude would wager, even if he shows no signs of blushing. This is getting entertaining now that it's no longer Claude who is startled. He decides to cut Sylvain some slack, however. 

Eyes trained on Sylvain, Claude reaches for the lipstick to relieve him of its neglectable weight. The brush of Claude's fingers across his palm draws his gaze to where they're touching before he looks up at Claude. His eyebrows wander towards his hairline as he watches Claude tuck the lipstick away.

"What kind of present would you give me were you to _woo _me?" The use of and emphasis on 'woo' is deliberate. Claude finds the opportunity to tease Sylvain about his choice of words too good to pass up.

Sylvain blinks, a brief moment of him letting his confusion show before burying it under the usual self-confidence. The smile returns and his eyes take on a mischievous glint. "Now that would spoil the surprise and defeat the purpose of the present, wouldn't it?"

"Does that mean you're getting me a proper present after all?" Claude finds himself more excited about the possibility than he should be. The prospect of learning what kind of thing Sylvain would get him when putting some thought into it is intriguing.

The smile on Sylvain's lips widens, leaving no room for signs of insecurity. Either he got into the swing of playing along or the topic stopped flustering him. "I might."

"Make it something good." Claude glosses over the noncommittal nature of Sylvain's statement and gives a wink. It's a challenge through and through. Though he doesn't say it, he's daring Sylvain to deliver. If Sylvain wants to get out of this, he'll have to drop the act and fess up that he wasn't serious. Claude won't let it go otherwise.

Determining that he had enough fun with Sylvain for a day, Claude turns his back on the wyvern paddock and walks towards the horse stables. His hand wanders into his pocket where the lipstick rests. Maybe he'll find a use for it or maybe he'll just keep it until Sylvain makes good on that other present.

"Hey, what about helping me with wyvern training?" Sylvain calls after him.

Claude hasn't forgotten this was the reason they met up here in the first place, he just decided to let Sylvain dangle for a bit. Without even turning his head, he replies: "Once you've given me my present."

"Is this because I was late?"

The question only receives a wave from Claude in response as he continues towards the monastery and smirks to himself. _Good luck working this one out, Sylvain._


End file.
